it’s all about Traffic!

I solved the riddle of the browser game I mentioned in my last post. I simply had to enter some more text into those text fields and now it’s possible to transport my bicycle trailer on my flight from Tokyo to Seoul. It reminded me of the riddle from ‘The Secret of Monkey Island‘ in which you have to ask the navigator for a necklace which makes you invisible to ghosts:

Please give it to me!

No!

please!

No!

please!

No!

please!

No!

please!

No!

please!

Okay!

And some say you can’t learn anything from video games! I don’t even have to pay extra! However, this advice is not a walk-through for the game. Because the game company Korean Air told me that this is an exception and not how the game is supposed to be played. So perhaps I cheated. But I told them I’m a cyclist not a camper (That was just a note for CS freaks. By the way CS does not stand for Couch Surfing no and also not for Cyber Sex).

As I did a lot of research about how to travel the cheapest way in Japan I’d like to share this knowledge with you.

Flying:

Japan has no discounters like Ryainair or easyjet in Europe. If you hope to find a domestic flight – let’s say Osaka to Tokyo – for about 30 € so about 3.200 ¥ your search will be in vain! The cheapest flights here are about ten times higher.

One of Japan’s first discount flight companies is Starflyer:

To catch the flights from Tokyo to Fukuoka for about 30.000 ¥ (385 AUD, 370 CAD, 284 €, 234 GBP, 451 NZD, 371. 94 USD) you have to book at least a month in advance!

If a quick arrival is not a priority and you don’t have to reach inland locations, you should check out the ferries. Prices for routes from Tokyo to Sapporo are available for 9.900 ¥ (118 AUD, 122 CAD, 94 €, 77 GBP, 148 NZD, 122 USD), and they even have an Onsen on board!

The cheapest way to travel to inland destinations (especially if you have very bulky luggage like I do) is of course, by bus.

Fast but expensive – the train network with its Shinkansen amongst others.

Compared to many – not only Asian but even Continental or American – rail companies, train tickets in Japan are expensive. All local rail companies in Tokyo (Seibu, JR East, Metro, Tobu Line just to mention a few) do not offer either day- or half day passes nor any group discounts.

A very useful page to search for train connections if you can’t speak or write any Japanese is this page here

So happy travels!

Special thanks to: Dania Lazor Fairchild, U.S.A (text revision); Hubertus Neidhart from  Webspace Provider Network for excellent web page hosting services; Lilith Pendzich;